The influence of pastoral and native forest land cover, flooding disturbance, and stream size on the trophic ecology of New Zealand streams

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin M. Fraley ◽  
Helen J. Warburton ◽  
Phillip G. Jellyman ◽  
Dave Kelly ◽  
Angus R. McIntosh
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Forest Land ◽  
Stream Size ◽  
Forest Land Cover

scholarly journals Effects of land cover type on carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) of the Canterbury foothills, New Zealand

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Berndt ◽  
Eckehard G. Brockerhoff
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Natural Forest ◽  
Carabid Beetle ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Pine Plantation ◽  
Plantation Forest ◽  
Beetle Assemblages

Background: Land cover changes during the recent history of New Zealand have had a major impact on its largely endemic and iconic biodiversity. As in many other countries, large areas of native forest have been replaced by other land cover and are now in exotic pasture grassland or plantation forest. Ground beetles (Carabidae) are often used as ecological indicators, they provide ecosystem services such as pest control, and some species are endangered. However, few studies in New Zealand have assessed the habitat value for carabid beetles of natural forest, managed regenerating natural forest, pine plantation forest and pasture. Methods: We compared the carabid beetle assemblages of natural forest of Nothofagus solandri var solandri (also known as Fuscospora solandri or black beech), regenerating N. solandri forest managed for timber production, exotic pine plantation forest and exotic pasture, using pitfall traps. The study was conducted at Woodside Forest in the foothills of the Southern Alps, North Canterbury, New Zealand, close to an area where the critically endangered carabid Holcaspis brevicula was found. Results: A total of 1192 carabid individuals from 23 species were caught during the study. All but two species were native to New Zealand, with the exotic species present only in low numbers and one of these only in the pasture habitat. Carabid relative abundance and the number of species was highest in the pine plantation, where a total of 15 species were caught; however, rarefied species richness did not differ significantly between habitats. The sampled carabid beetle assemblages were similar across the three forested habitat types but differed significantly from the pasture assemblages based on unconstrained and canonical analyses of principal coordinates. Holcaspis brevicula was not detected in this area. Conclusions: Our results show that managed or exotic habitats may provide habitat to species-rich carabid assemblages although some native species occur only in natural, undisturbed vegetation. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge the potential contribution of these land uses and land cover types to the conservation of native biodiversity and to consider how these can be managed to maximise conservation opportunities.

scholarly journals The Analysis of Forest Land Cover Change And Area Determination of Land Rehabilitation Based on Geographic Information System in Magelang Regency

2018 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 03004
Author(s):  
Lidya Ernawati ◽  
Sutrisno Anggoro
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Geographic Information System ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Land Cover Change ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Forest Land ◽  
Land Rehabilitation ◽  
Forest Land Cover ◽  
Area Determination

Population increased has consequences for the economic development of land demands for agriculture, settlement and other infrastructure. This resulted the change of area land cover which impact on the climate change and decline the environmental quality. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the environment through the land rehabilitation activities. The analysis of land cover change is needed as the first step to identify areas targeted by the land rehabilitation. Geographic information system is used as a spatial based on the appropriate determination of rehabilitation activities

scholarly journals Linking Changes in Land Cover and Land Use of the Lower Mekong Basin to Instream Nitrate and Total Suspended Solids Variations

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kongmeng Ly ◽  
Graciela Metternicht ◽  
Lucy Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Total Suspended Solids ◽  
Mekong River ◽  
Forest Land ◽  
Lulc Changes ◽  
Correlation Analyses ◽  
Forest Land Cover

Population growth and economic development are driving changes in land use/land cover (LULC) of the transboundary Lower Mekong River Basin (LMB), posing a serious threat to the integrity of the river system. Using data collected on a monthly basis over 30 years (1985–2015) at 14 stations located along the Lower Mekong river, this study explores whether spatiotemporal relationships exist between LULC changes and instream concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS) and nitrate—as proxies of water quality. The results show seasonal influences where temporal patterns of instream TSS and nitrate concentrations mirror patterns detected for discharge. Changes in LULC influenced instream TSS and nitrate levels differently over time and space. The seasonal Mann–Kendall (SMK) confirmed significant reduction of instream TSS concentrations at six stations (p < 0.05), while nitrate levels increased at five stations (p < 0.05), predominantly in stations located in the upper section of the basin where forest areas and mountainous topography dominate the landscape. Temporal correlation analyses point to the conversion of grassland (r = −0.61, p < 0.01) to paddy fields (r = 0.63, p < 0.01) and urban areas (r = 0.44, p < 0.05) as the changes in LULC that mostly impact instream nitrate contents. The reduction of TSS appears influenced by increased forest land cover (r = −0.72, p < 0.01) and by the development and operation of hydropower projects in the upper Mekong River. Spatial correlation analyses showed positive associations between forest land cover and instream concentrations of TSS (r = 0.64, p = 0.01) and nitrate (r = 0.54, p < 0.05), indicating that this type of LULC was heavily disturbed and harvested, resulting in soil erosion and runoff of nitrate rich sediment during the Wet season. Our results show that enhanced understanding of how LULC changes influence instream water quality at spatial and temporal scales is vital for assessing potential impacts of future land and water resource development on freshwater resources of the LMB.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document